


Floral Tattoos.

by orphan_account



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Barista Luke, Cashton, F/M, Florist Ashton, I get so pumped about this, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Muke - Freeform, Tattoo Artist Calum, Tattoo Artist Michael, cute fluff, florist/tattoo artist, my children, past self harm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-21
Updated: 2016-04-06
Packaged: 2018-04-27 10:52:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5045515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ashton Irwin is a nerdy, quiet florist who is content to be alone. But when the vacant shop at the end of the strip mall is suddenly occupied, he can't help himself. Even if tattoo parlors are scary, the artists turn out to be pretty cool.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Where did you come from?

**Author's Note:**

> I really, really love this idea, and I hope you guys do too! Leave comments and feedback!

Ashton's life was great.  
He had a loving mother, his own flower shop, right after he'd graduated high school. He had it all, and he was happy, and there was a vacant space at the end of the mall, and he could only hope that maybe a bakery would be put in.  
He couldn't have been more wrong.

It started early one morning, right as he unlocked the shop door, a braided daisy chain crown sitting atop his honey curls, his green apron draped around his narrow hips, Ashton was expecting a quiet, relaxing morning. His broom in hand, he'd begun to sweep the sidewalk that lined his storefront, at peace with the world. The glass doors propped open with a pair of rose bushes, nestled in Grecian styled pots, the sweet scent of Hydrangeas wafting into the street.  
Pausing, the man inhaled deeply, leaning on his broom. Expecting only floral smells, he was, needless to say, a bit confused when he caught the sickly sweet burn of cigarette smoke.

Hazel eyes flickering open, Ashton grimaced, turning to and searching for whatever heathen was practicing their habits and ruining his blooms, but when he found the source, he accidentally sucked in a breath so deep that he choked. Whether it was secondhand smoke or spit, he didn't know, but what he did know was that there was an angel standing not six feet away, inspecting the sign on the vacant building beside his.  
Tall, built like a football player, a black tank top showed off the tan skin of his shoulders and ribs, skinny jeans clung to his muscular legs. Aviators on his face, a cigarette hanging from his plush looking lips, the guy cocked a brow, looking over. Had Ashton been staring? Crap.

"Uh... M-moving?"

The dark haired man smirked, taking another drag from the cigarette. He puffed out the smoke towards the florist, who coughed, like a dork, ducking his head.

"Thinkin' about it. Dunno if my... business matches anythin' around here. Or if the people who'd want it would be round here." He shrugged, and it was then that Ashton noticed his tattoos.  
Gorgeous shapes, animals, and patterns, tracking over his arms, but what caught Ashton's attention, were the roses, the dark ink staining over the stranger's wrists. They were breathtaking.  
He was breathtaking.

"Uh... N-no, anyone can move in here. Anyone." Ashton was insistent. Maybe a bit too much.  
The other grinned, nodding slowly.  
"I might, then. Hope I won't be intruding in your flowers, yeah?" He leaned around the gangly boy, looking into the shop, and for some reason, the florist felt self conscious.

"No way, I mean... I don't think you will." Ashton managed a soft smile, and the stranger smirked, turning and strutting towards the motorcycle parked in a handicap spot.

"Then I think I found my place. Thanks, Ashton. Hope I'll be seeing you around, flower boy." He flashed a smile, and Ashton wondered briefly how he'd known his name, then remembered the name tag on his shirt. Right.

"Y-yeah, uh... tattoo boy."  
Smooth, Ashton. Smooth.


	2. What the hell are you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So the angel turns out to be more than Ashton bargained for.

A month and a half later, they arrived.   
It was a normal day, warm and sunny, quiet classical music filling the little flower shop. Ashton was working on an arrangement of lillies and bluebells, and he was measuring ribbon for decoration when the loud bang and shouting next door made him miss the cut of glittery fabric, instead poking himself with the scissors. He yelped, rushing to the sink to rinse off the small gash while the loud yelling continued on. Through the walls, he could hear the conversation. 

"Mother fuck!" One voice, a young man, shouted.

"Dammit, Clifford, will you shut the fuck up and carry the damn machine without fucking dropping it?!" Ashton recognized that voice... it was the angel, Tattoo boy! His breath caught in his throat as he turned off the water, leaning over to hear better.

"It's fucking heavy, Calum! You carry it!"

"No, I have other things to do."

"Like what? Go next door and flirt with that florist? I saw him this morning, he's cute, and he probably goes for guys."

"Michael, shut the fuck up! He can probably hear us; you haven't shut your fat mouth since we got here!"

Ashton blushed furiously, stepping away from the wall, just staring for a moment. They were talking about him! Without making fun of him! Well, maybe a little, but still.   
Swallowing hard, hoping he wasn't blushing too much, Ashton finished wrapping the cut on his palm, making sure it was covered up properly so he could get back to work. He'd just turned back to the work table, picking up the scissors again, when another huge bang and another bout of swearing echoed into his store.   
"Well... maybe they need some help." The florist mumbled, slipping the tool back into his belt before stepping out of the shop, locking the door behind him. It was still rather early, no one was around yet. Still, he kept one of his work phones on him, just in case.

Parked in front of the last store in the strip mall, there was a moving van. No one was outside, though from the sound of the yelling and the way it was getting louder, Ashton would wager that there soon would be.

"I can't fucking believe you, you clumsy little shit! Why do you even work for me again?!" Calum's voice echoed into the street as he stormed out of the once vacant shop. He wore a too-big pullover, jeans and boots today, his fluffy hair streaked with blond highlights. Damn, it was cute, and Ashton found himself just want in to run his hands through it. He had enough self control to not, though, watching as Calum climbed into the truck, presumably to get more boxes.

Another man followed him out of the store, his jet black hair stuck up in every direction, red and blue streaks standing out in random spots.

"Because we started this business together, you miserable fucking-" He stopped though, and Ashton soon realized that the man's green eyes were locked onto him, a smirk on his lips. He suddenly felt like an ant under a magnifying glass, and he swallowed hard, backing up a step or two.

"H-hi." He stuttered, and loud footsteps suddenly sounded, banging from the metal of the moving truck. Calum poked his head into view, looking around a moment before he saw Ashton, and grinned.

"Hey! Ashton! I was wondering when I'd see you again. How's the flower thing going?" The man asked as he hopped back onto the sidewalk. Michael snorted and rolled his eyes, going to the truck in Calum's absence.

"It... It's good, yeah, I just... heard banging and wanted to make sure everything was going alright. You don't appear to be dead..." Ash gave a small, awkward laugh, and Calum smiled. It was like sunlight had come down in the form of a human. Wow.

"No, yeah, Michael's just a clutz. We were just getting everything set up. We even got out sign today! That was the first thing they put up." He motioned to the neon sign over the awning, and Ashton stepped back so that he could see it.

"Rat-a-Tat?" Ashton asked, a bit confused. Tat... oh no.   
"You're a tattoo parlor?"

"Yeah! Isn't it awesome? We've already got a ton of appointments set up!" Calum grinned, not looking unlike an excited puppy. The florist couldn't help it.

"Yeah, I guess... I mean, tattoos aren't my-"

"If you wanted one, I could fit you in."

The interruption made him pause to stare at the dark haired man a moment. He'd always hated the idea of tattoo parlors. They always gave off this horribly angry vibe, as did tattoos. Though, he'd not given a lot of thought to it. He knew they hurt a bit, and he was concerned about that, but...  
The thought of Calum, up close and personal with his body... it made his heart pound.

The rational part of his mind told him to walk away right now, but the lonely, pathetic loser in him told him otherwise.

"Y-you think?" He asked, and the artist, having been turned away, staring at the store windows, looked back at him, his eyes serious as he nodded.

"You'd look nice with one. Maybe some flowers on your arms?" He suggested, and Ashton nodded slowly.

"M-maybe, I dunno. I don't know." He mumbled, blushing sheepishly.

"Don't listen to Cal, you're better off staying away from him. You get one, he'll convince you to get twenty." Michael called as he carried a box into the shop.

"Uh... I don't know." Ash repeated, ducking his head and running a hand through his curls.

"Well, I won't force you." Calum suddenly seemed bitter, looking the way Michael had gone, and he hissed through his teeth.   
"I should go and make sure he's not making a mess. I swear, he's a fucking toddler sometimes." He glances back at Ashton, who cringes at the words, but the florist gives a nod.

"Yeah... I should go too... I'm right next door, so if you need anything, let me know. Also, the coffee shop on my other side is run by my friend, Luke. He'll be excited to meet you." He smiled.

"Yeah? Well, hopefully I'll see you around more, flower boy, yeah?" Calum asks, and Ashton bit his lip, looking down. From the pocket of his apron, he extracted a bright yellow daffodil and quickly tucked it into the tattoo artist's hair before turning on his heel and heading back into his shop, hoping that he didn't just embarrass himself.

What he didn't see was Calum standing there after he'd gone, his tan cheeks sporting a blush, his rough fingertips brushing over the soft daffodil bell that stood out again the dark curls.   
He likes flowers a lot more than he realized.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters will get longer and better, I promise <3


	3. Who the hell are you?

"What do you mean, get a tattoo?" Blue eyes were wide in awe of Ashton's statement. Luke, the florist's closest friend and the owner of 'Cool Beans', the coffee shop in the strip, stared at him incredulously. 

"I don't know, he offered! Luke, you haven't seen him. He's like... an angel. Like a dark, scary angel. You don't get it." Ashton said, looking up from his cup, tapping his Oxfords on the tile of the flower shop. Luke had come over for the lunch break, as he usually did. 

"I get that you're losing it over some guy who could be a serial killer." The blond replied, tugging at his hair absently, his eyes on the lilacs that rested on the counter.   
Ashton snorted, shaking his head.

"He's not. He's really nice, and sweet, and-" He'd just rested his head on his hands, staring dreamily at the door, when it'd swung open, wind and rain threatening to tear through the poor petals in the shop.   
A pair of figures in black hoodies had entered, and Ashton couldn't help but stare. He couldn't help but wonder who the hell would be out in a storm like this, but his question was answered when the hoods were removed. 

"Oh, Calum! And Michael." The florist nearly lost his footing rounding the counter, shouldering into Luke as he made for the pair.   
Calum, having been busy trying to dry off his feet on the welcome mat, looked up, his lips pulling into a bright grin. 

"Well, hello there, flower boy." He spoke, and it was like a fire crackling in a hearth, and Ashton almost wanted to hold out his hands, just to see if the warmth only radiated from his smile, or if it was all of him.   
Dark brown eyes flickered over his shoulder, however, falling on the skinny blond who stood at the counter, staring at... Michael? 

"I'm Luke." The barista squeaked, and Ashton couldn't believe it. Michael was staring right back at Luke, his emerald eyes focused on him. 

"Right, well, he's managed to speak. I was afraid we'd scared him." Calum joked, clearly noticing the sparks flying. 

"I've never seen him like this... He usually won't shut up around strangers." Ashton supplied, stepping to the side.   
"Luke? This is Calum and Michael, the tattoo artists I was telling you about? Luke owns Cool Beans, next door." He said, and Calum nodded. 

"I'm Luke." The blond seemed to have forgotten his words, and it was hilarious, especially in the way Michael was struggling as well.

"Well... this is hilarious, I wish I had my phone so I could record this. Fucking love at first sight." Calum cocked his head, watching them be awkward and strange, while the florist sighed. 

"Don't swear. I think this is cute." He said, his heart rate spiking when Calum looked at him. He pretended he didn't notice, turning away and rearranging some poppies in a vase. 

"Huh." Came the little noise from Cal, who bit his lip and looked back at his friend. 

"Hey, Mikey? You remember the reason we came over here in this fu-" He cut off, glancing at Ash.   
"In this storm?"

This seemed to bring the wild-haired man out of his trance, nodding and turning away reluctantly. 

"Flowers. For drawing practice." He said, and Ashton looked back, nodding. 

"Any kind in particular? Or just some common kinds?" He asked. 

"Yeah, anything is good. I just, ah... Thinking about some original designs." Cal said, and Ashton chewed his lip shyly, adjusting his glasses. 

"Yeah, absolutely. Let me just... Luke? Can you talk to our friends, please? Wake up." Crossing in front of him, Ash clapped his hands in front of his face, seeming to shock him out of his stalkerish staring at Michael. 

"Huh?" He asked, looking at his friend, who snorted. 

"Speak, you giraffe! They're not going to bite you." Ashton hissed, and Luke rolled his eyes. 

"Shut up, you pygmy goat." He mumbled, wiping his hands on his jeans awkwardly before stepping forward to start a conversation, smiling shyly at Michael and glancing at Calum every so often. Ashton got to work, plucking from each display in the shop, a bloom from every plant, a leaf from every stem. His mind was halfway on the conversation, listening as he snipped carefully. 

"So, how long have you and flower boy been friends?" Michael was asking, a small laugh echoing from Luke. 

"Years, man. We were in school together, we played together as kids, our moms still hang out. They're neighbors. Ash still lives with his mom because he's raising-" 

"Luke, that's enough." Ashton was surprised by his own voice, low and firm, as he reprimanded his friend. He didn't look back, his cheeks bright red. He doesn't need Calum to know that he was a loser raising his own siblings and living with his mother to help keep her afloat. It was embarrassing.

It was silent for a while, until Calum spoke up. 

"Michael still lives with his mom, and I live with my sister." 

That made Ashton glance over his shoulder, to see the gruff, intimidating men look like puppies, innocent. Calum smiled, and a rush of blood to his cheeks made Ashton give a bit of a strangled, shy noise. The artist only smirked, looking back as Luke began to talk about how living alone was a lot of work, and how lonely it was. That damned flirt. 

Ashton shook his head, smirking as he finished fixing up the flowers in a large bouquet and turning to Calum. 

"Here y'go. And uhm.. don't worry about paying. Really. Just, if people ask where you got them, send them my way?" He said with a soft smile, biting his lip at the way Calum smiled. 

"Yeah, but I'll get you back. I just heard about this coffee shop that's supposed to be really good," He cast a glance at Luke, who smiled sheepishly, receiving a light poke in the shoulder by Mikey, only making his blush grow. 

"I got a feeling I'll be hanging around there on my breaks. Maybe I can buy you a drink sometime?" The Kiwi offered, and Ash couldn't help the stupid smile on his lips. He nodded, running a hand through his curls.

"Yeah, that would be nice..." He said quietly, rubbing his cheek. 

"Great! Come on, Mikey, we have to get back to work, but we'll see you guys around, yeah?" Grabbing his reluctant friend by the arm, Calum dragged him to the door, waving as he slipped out and into the storm. As the door shut, there was a very clear-  
"GET ON MY LEVEL, BITCH!" Coming from the direction the two had gone. 

"He's gorgeous." The quiet words made Ashton drag his eyes away from the door, to the gangly blond who had spoken. 

"Who? Calum? I told you!" He laughed, but Luke crinkled his nose. 

"No, stupid. Michael. His hair, and his eyes, and his skin? Oh my gosh." The taller fanned himself, whooshing softly. 

Ashton's eyes widened, and he laughed, shaking his head at Luke. The whole exchange was hilarious and it was insane. The guy he had an insane crush on offered to buy him coffee. 

"Calum... Asked me out." He smiled, rubbing his eyes, nearly knocking his glasses off in the process. 

"Michael didn't." Luke mumbled, going back to the counter and glancing wistfully at the door. He sighed, looking down at his coffee cup, then at his watch. 

"Shit. I'm late. I'll see you after work?" He didn't wait for an answer before sprinting out of the shop and into the rain. With a sheepish, dorky grin, Ashton got back behind the counter, doodling flowers and skulls on his appointment book, only coming out of his state of self indulgence when a customer wandered in.


	4. What are you made of?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wow, hi! I'm sorry this took so long, but things were really busy. I've put some art into this long chapter, as consolation. 
> 
> The collage is made by me, so enjoy that. The rest of that is stuff I found googling, so credit goes to the creators! Have fun!

Every once in a while, Ashton ended up babysitting during work hours. Not that he minded in the least, of course; His siblings always behaved. And Lauren was actually pretty good with arrangements. Maybe he'd offer her a job in a few years. After all, she was only ten now, and little Harry, at four, needed constant watching. But he was good for business too.   
Today, Ashton stood at the counter, Harry playing beside him, giggling because he was so high up.   
Lauren stood at the door, her face pressed to the glass and the crown atop her head, fashioned from an assortment of pink flowers, was slightly askew.

"I'll make you clean those windows, Laur." Ash smirked, looking up from his busy fingers, finishing up a yellow daisy flower crown and fidgiting with it, until he heard a squeak as Lauren peeled her face free, her eyes wide.

"Someone's coming!" She gasped, scrambling away behind a large display as the door opened, allowing in-

"Calum, hey!" Ashton beamed, greeting the younger happily. He still got all weird and giddy when the darker boy showed up, but he was working on it. Calum grinned, moving step forward, but pausing as he saw the boy on the counter, and the girl peeking out at him.

"Uh... yours?" He asked, a bit confused, and Ashton blushed.

"Yeah... My brother and sister." He smiled sheepishly.   
"This is Harry, and that's Lauren. Guys, this is my friend, Calum. He works next door." At the shop he'd demanded they never go near, but he wouldn't say so in front of the artist.

"Oh, cool. Uh... hey, guys." Calum waved, leaning down when Lauren approached him, her fingers fisted in her sweater.

"I like your flowers! Ashton should get some to match yours!" She squeaked, and Cal grinned, his chocolate eyes flicking up to meet Ashton's hazel ones, the blush threatening to light his cheeks on fire.

"Yeah? I think he should get some too. They're real pretty, right?" He asked, smiling brightly.   
"I drew them."

Lauren's eyes widened and she gasped.   
"Can you draw some on me?!"

Ashton was ready to step in,  but Cal cut him off.   
"Sure, but it'll wash off. Mine don't. Maybe when you're much older and a lot taller, you can get some that don't wash off." He said, and the girl nodded rapidly.

"Me too! I want dinosaurs!" Harry bounced, and the artist nodded, scooping Lauren up and making her squeal before setting her on the counter and leaning across to get in Ashton's space.

"You're getting a tattoo, did you know?" He asked, dangerously close. Like, so close. Like, close enough for Ashton to smell the coffee and cigarette smoke on his breath. He could see the different shades of brown in his eyes, and he couldn't refuse. Who was he to do such a thing.

"Mhm." He mumbled, his eyes flickering to his lips, then back to his eyes.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah." Ash swallowed hard, and Calum smirked.  
  
"You better find something pretty to be on your body forever, yeah?" He asked, glancing over as Harry began poking a wolf on his bicep. He flexed his arm so it was solid, and Ashton resisted the urge to whimper at that.

"Y-you pick." He said quietly, and Cal looked back, surprised.

"Really?"

"Yeah... Your original stuff is really nice. I want that."

The artist looked dumbfounded.   
"No one has ever.... I've never put my original stuff on someone..." He mumbled, and Ash smiled, tugging at his sleeves, praying they covered his hands well enough. Being this close, it was anxiety inducing, and he wasn't about to let the angel see his marked up, messed up body. He wasn't anywhere near as perfect as Calum, with his gorgeous olive skin and fluffy hair...

"I want to." He repeated, and the smile only grew.

"Awesome! Hey, why don't I take Harry and Lauren while you go to lunch? We can hang out and do the whole florist thing, and you can catch a break!" Calum offered, and Ashton opened his mouth to reject, but clearly, the other wasn't having it, because before he could saw a word, he was being shoved at the door.

"Have fun, bye!" Lauren waved, and Harry giggled as Ashton tripped over his feet on his way out. Was this a good idea? No.   
But maybe he'd be pleasantly surprised. 

Well, he was surprised.   
He'd only been gone for half an hour, having gone and grabbed take out for everyone, and dropped Luke's off to him.  He had braced himself for chaos, but what he saw was so much better.   
Entering the store, he saw that it was full of customers, mulling around to look at the flowers, and Lauren running around wearing an apron that has been tied to fit her.  Calum wore a green apron too,   standing behind the counter, holding Harry's hand and drawing on his arm in Sharpie. He looked quite cute, twisting his lips in concentration as he drew, not even noticing Ashton until he set the bag of food down, and Harry turned, beaming.

"Look, Ashy! Dinosaurs! Cally drew it!" The boy exclaimed, pulling his arm out of Calum's grip to display the drawing. The younger man looked over at Ash,  winking before heading to the register to help a customer, leaving the taller to look at the 'tattoo'. Three dinosaurs, cartoony and adorable,  adorned the child's forearm, and he looked thrilled about it.

"Ash, look at mine! Calum did it all pretty!" Lauren ran up behind Ashton, tugging at the back of his sweater until he turned around, picking her up. On her forearm as well, there was an assortment of gorgeous flowers, exactly like the ones on Cal's wrist. They were amazing, even though they were just on kids.   
Calum was finishing up checking out with a customer, and as soon as they'd left, he looked over at Ash, who was unloading the bag of food.

"Dude, your job is hard as sh-"

"Ah!" He cut him off, motioning to the  kids, who'd picked up a couple cartons of noodles and were munching happily.

"I was gonna say... sugar. Yeah. Sugar." He rubbed the back of his neck, making Ashton smile and push one of the cartons towards him.

"The tattoos look amazing. Really." He said, pushing up his sleeves without really thinking about it. He was comfortable around Cal. That was probably a mistake.

As soon as he'd done it, Calum's eyes went right to the pale skin of his wrists, the thin white lines lacing up the the inside of his elbows. His mouth fell open, and Ashton looked down, gasping as he rushed to pull the fabric down, but he was stopped, Calum's strong hand catching his and halting his movements.

"Right there." He said quickly, using his otherwise hand, a tan finger pointing at his inner forearm, where all of the ugly marks were.

"...Right there?" Ashton was trembling, terrified of what he might say. He was a freak. An ugly freak, he wasn't worth the time.

"Right there. It's where the tattoo is going. To show that good things can come from the bad."

Ashton wanted to faint.

The way Calum was looking at him, face completely serious, eyes warm and loving as he stared up at Ashton, his callused thumb  rubbing gentle circles over the soft skin of his arm.   
He felt something incredible well up inside of him, and he couldn't help it.   
Lurching forward, he closed the space between them and kissed Calum gently, pouring in all the thanks and affection he couldn't put into words.   
This was crazy. He was insane.  
But Calum was too.

He held Ashton's wrists tightly, kissing him sweetly, delicately,his velvet lips sliding over chapped ones, and it was making the older boy's head spin. He wished the counter wasn't digging into his gut as he tried to get closer, but it turned out to not matter. The jingling bell that signaled the door opening dragged them apart, Calum wiping his mouth as he caught sight of the visitor.   
It was Michael,  his hair a violent shade of green, making him look skeletal and gaunt in his leather jacket and black jeans.   
He was smirking, his bright lips tugged up in such a shit eating expression that Ashton wanted to club him.

"'M I interrupting?" He asked, watching as Ash clawed at his curls, a nervous habit.

"Yeah, actually. Don't we have customers?" Calum snapped, and the kids looked up from their lunch, gasping as they saw the new person, tattoos up his neck and hands.

"Not right now. You're playing house and you didn't invite me?" He asked, chuckling softly. 

"Yep. Ashton is my wife, and these are our children. Bob and Michael Jr." Calum motioned to Lauren and Harry respectively, making Ash giggle. Michael snorted, shaking his head.

"I came to get you 'cause Ashley said one of your appointments is coming in in a few minutes. Can I tear you away for your 'family' for that long?" The green haired boy teased, and Calum rolled his eyes, taking off the apron and laying it on the counter. He came around into the open, taking Ashton's hand and kissing his palm before waving goodbye and leaving with Michael.

 

Crazy.   
Nuts.   
He was terrified, standing in the lobby of 'Rat A Tat' waiting for Calum to call him into the back, trying to convince himself to not get up and run away like a madman. What was the matter with him? Agreeing to this?

Maybe it was Calum. Maybe he just couldn't say no to the damn angel. He was so sweet, kind and gentle to him, even though he was punk rock as hell.   
He was like a pit bull, to be perfectly honest. And Ashton was infatuated.

He'd brought flowers to the parlor. What an idiot, but really, he couldn't help it.   
A young woman, a receptionist with bright blue hair and warm eyes had beamed, placing the dark red and purple blooms on the desk and told him that Calum would be out in a moment. Apparently he was working with Michael right bow, if the swears and laughter were anything to go by. The buzz of a pen made him antsy, and he had just squeezed his eyes shut, leaning back in the uncomfortable plastic chair when the pounding footsteps and grumbling made him peek, afraid of what he might see.  
It was Michael,  leaning over the desk and chatting up the woman there, before glancing at Ashton, and smirking as the skinny boy stood up.

"He's waiting for you, flower boy." He teased, making him blush a bit and nod.   
"Straight back. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt. Besides, he's like, the best in the business. Now go on, I've got a coffee break to take." He shooed the florist along, behind the desk and into a hallway. Ash took Michael's instruction, hugging himself as he made his way through the dark halls, noting the black paint and countless drawings of intricate patterns, then looking down at the maroon linoleum.  He cringed, hearing another buzz of the pen as he neared the end of the hall, and suddenly, the narrow passage opened up into a room, divided into four parts by rice paper screens, with a chair and a counter in each. Calum was in the one closest to the door and to the right, alternating between cleaning his equipment and making tiny pencil marks on a sketchbook that sat on his thigh. He looked up as soon as the older entered, and grinned, standing up quickly, making a grab for the book before it fell to the floor, but missing and looking like a total dork. Ashton loved it.    
Calum picked up his book, setting it on the rolling stool he had been seated on and placing his gear back down before turning to Ash.

"H-Hi." The florist mumbled nervously, earning a sympathetic look from the artist.

"Hey. Uh... Y'know you don't have to do this, right? If you don't want to. I know you're really nervous about this-" Ashton cut Calum off, leaning down and kissing the corner of his mouth, effectively shutting him up.

"I want to." He mumbled, a blush blooming across his cheekbones again.

"Yeah... okay, yeah. Go ahead and sit down. Take off the hoodie, alright?" Cal requested, and Ash was quick to obey, making himself comfortable in the black leather chair. The Maori boy moved around it, adjusting it so that it was upright, and the right armrest was out.

"Michael was just in here. I was fixing his back, and he kept wiggling around, so now the dragon has a mustache." He said, and Ashton couldn't help but giggle a little.

"So that was the yelling?" He asked, and Calum nodded, picking up the sketchbook and showing the boy in the chair.   
The design was [breath](http://www.tattoobite.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/watercolor-flowers-half-sleeve-tattoos.jpg)[tak](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7452/13455837134_6193b57d95_b.jpg)[ing](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f9/8b/cd/f98bcdcf1ce930316222f1235c552f06.jpg), and it was clear that it was meant to be a sleeve, to cover his whole arm. And shockingly, he had no complaints.

"I was thinking maybe a little bit of water coloring, but this will take a few visits. If you're up for it. Do you like it?" Calum was quite nervous, obviously, as he sat forward on the stool, his hands gripping the fabric between his knees anxiously.   
"That's,  uh... One I've been designing for a long time. Since I met you, actually. Like... the day I met you. Remember? You talked me into the lease."

Breath caught in his throat, Ashton looked up, his eyes wet with tears.

"Please. This is what I want." He clutched the book to his chest, and Calum's mouth fell open.

"Really?" He asked again, and Ashton nodded.

"Alright... let's get to work then..." He swallowed hard, and Ashton bit his lip, embarrassed that the drawing had made him cry. He sat forward, peeling the jacket from his body and setting it on the floor, blushing when his tee shirt came up over his tummy. He pushed it down, sticking his tongue out when Calum laughed.

"Whoa! No fucking in the chairs, they're expensive!" Michael suddenly burst into the room, killing the mood- whatever mood was there- and making Ashton want to crawl under the chair and die.

"Alright, alright. You ready, flower boy?" Calum asked, drawing his attention back to him. Ashton took a deep breath, and nodded, settling in for a long day.


	5. What are you so afraid of?

Michael lied.   
The tattoo hurt like hell, and the first appointment was only to get the basic outlines of the blooms traced only Ashton's arm. It sucked, and he might have cried.   
Calum was sweet, though. They took loads of breaks, and he even moved an appointment, since they took so long. He kissed Ashton's cheek to distract him, making conversation and asking questions about his family.   
In the state he was in, Ashton slipped up, and revealed a lot more than he'd meant to in his pain induced haze. 

Calum wasn't even sure Ashton remembered telling him what he had.   
Three days had passed since the appointment, and his mind was still on the older boy.  
He'd told him about his father's death, when he was sixteen. He'd gotten a job to help his mother, who was a nurse. According to him, she'd gotten a boyfriend who got her pregnant, and that's where Lauren and Harry had come from. The boyfriend left after finding out she was pregnant with Harry, leaving Ashton to care for them, working two jobs, plus school. 

Calum couldn't believe Ashton was who he was, after everything that'd happened to him. He was like a bouquet, gone through winter and come out just as beautiful. 

"Calum, are you listening to me?" The voice jarred him from his thoughts, and he looked up, meeting the eyes of their receptionist, Ashley. She usually went by Halsey, but Cal had known her for years. He, Michael and her had played together as kids. 

"No." He answered truthfully, picking at the plastic lid of his Cool Beans coffee cup that he'd decorated with Sharpie doodles.  
A soft scoff met his words, shortly followed by a flick to his forehead. He jerked back, looking up at her. 

"What the fuck?" He asked. Ashley had an expectant look on face, arms crossed. 

"I scheduled another appointment with Ashton. I know you haven't talked to him, so I called him to make sure he's okay. He said he was fine, and he wanted to come back. He was disappointed it wasn't you calling him." She fired at him, and he bit his lip, looking away again. She sighed, sitting on his lap in the wheely chair, behind his desk. He'd been working on the shop numbers again,(Michael was shit at math- so was he, but someone had to do it.)

"Ashley, if you knock us over, you're fired." He muttered. 

"It's ten o'clock at night, we're closed and off duty. I'm not working right now, ergo, you can't fire me." She justified, a proud look on her face. Calum only rolled his eyes.   
"Are you gonna tell me what's going on?" 

He sighed, setting his coffee on the desk, a hand on his friend's waist to keep her from falling. He rubbed his eyes with the free one, leaning back in the chair. 

"Ashton... Ashton told me a lot about his family. I'm not sure I was supposed to hear all of it, but he wasn't even awkward. He was just... He's like..." Cal trailed off, looking for words. 

"An innocent angel that you're afraid you're gonna tear up?" Ashley supplied, and he looked up at her, swallowing hard and nodding. 

"I... I feel like I shouldn't have ever talked to him. Cause now I'm like... obsessed with him, and I just wanna hold him and make sure he knows how much he's loved and I hate seeing him hurt and... fuck, I am in so deep." He groaned, making the girl on his lap giggle. 

"You are so gone. This is a really good thing, Calum, you know? Someone this opposite from you, someone like Ashton? He's perfect for you. And he likes you a lot. I see him sometimes, at the coffee shop when I go with Michael. He always looks so hopeful when we come in, and then when he sees you're not with us." 

Calum looked at the cup on the desk, feeling a little- a lot- lost.   
"What do I do, Ash? I want him. Really bad."

"Ask him out, dumbass. Take care of him. Don't treat him like glass." She replied, leaning down and hugging him tightly. 

"Yeah... Yeah, alright." He mumbled into her chest, and she laughed softly, releasing him. 

"I'm going home. Don't stay up all night?" She said, and Calum nodded, getting up after she had so he could lock the door behind her. 

\--

Ashton was well aware that he'd said so much to Calum. In fact, he was petrified. Calum probably thought he was a freak. That must have been why he hadn't come to visit. 

He'd come to work an hour early, having not been able to sleep. He was wearing a sweater today, covering up the sleek black markings on his arm. 

Every day, looking in the mirror at the permanent flowers inked into his skin, brought a new rush of love into his chest. Not just love, though. Fear, as well. Reminding him that he might have ruined everything, the way he couldn't hold his tongue. 

Wiping away a tear that rolled down his cheek at the thought of Calum not wanting to be around him anymore, Ashton let out a little pained whimper as he picked up a rose, pricking a callused finger on the stem. Normally, it didn't bother him, but seeing the crimson drop upon his pale skin, his lip trembled, and he sniffled, tears beginning to stream down his face. He was weak.   
The door chimed as it opened, but he barely heard it. Footsteps pounded across the linoleum, but he didn't care. 

"Ashton? Ashton, babe, look at me, it's okay, look at me." A pair of rough-skinned hands were suddenly on his cheeks, wiping away the saltwater from his burning eyes. He managed to pry open his hazel hues, taking in the sight before him.   
Calum stood there, trying to soothe him, his face showing the obvious concern. 

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened?" The younger boy asked, and Ashton could only shake his head. 

"What is it, baby?" 

Ashton swallowed hard.   
"You think I'm crazy." He whispered, and he watched as Calum's eyes widened, his lips parting. 

"No, no! What... who the hell said that?!" He demanded, making Ash shy away in fear. Calum's eyes softened, and he released Ashton's face, only to take his hands. 

"I don't think you're crazy. I l-" He caught himself.   
"I want to help. Where does it hurt?"

Ashton sniffled, pointing to his head. The Maori boy leaned up, kissing his temple softly.   
"Where else?" 

Motioning to his finger, Ashton wiped the blood on his apron before Calum kissed the tiny cut as well. 

"And?" 

The older pointed to his chest, over his heart. 

Cal smirked softly, pulling aside the fabric of Ash's oversized jumper to kiss at his collarbone, and the skin just below. He pulled away, eyes big and sweet. 

"Anywhere else?" He asked, and Ashton swallowed hard, pointing to his lips. Calum chuckled softly, sliding his sweet velvet lips across the older boy's happily, in a quick, chaste kiss. 

The two were silent for a few moments, just staring at each other.   
It was Calum who spoke up first. 

"Y-you wanna get coffee with me sometime?" He asked, and Ashton blushed heavily. 

"Yeah... now?" 

"If you're free now." 

"For you, always."


	6. Why are we even friends with them?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little Muke for you <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my good lord it's been so long since i updated im so sorry

A cry of frustration cracks through the air as a six foot tall, purple haired Australian boy pitches himself onto his bed. Clothing is littered around the bedroom, taking away any illusion that it had, at any point, been clean.  
"I'm not going." Michael whined, voice muffled as he spoke into his (pokemon patterned) pillow.  
"Luke's gonna be disappointed." Calum commented, glancing up from his phone, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. He'd been texting Ashton, who was in a similar situation with Luke. Damned overgrown children, clearly.  
"Well I can't find anything decent to wear."  
"So go naked."  
"Not on the first date. I'm not a skank." Michael picked up his face slightly, bare back shifting as he tried to conceal his stupid giggling.  
"You're a slut Mike. A lowkey slut." Cal replied, glancing down as his phone chirped. It was a photo message from Ashton; pictures of a lumpy blanket bunched up on a messy floor. It would have been odd, had Calum not seen the bare feet sticking out from beneath. The caption read-  
"Luke has decided to live under his blanket shell forever. He says he's never coming out."  
"Hm. Seems Luke's turned into a turtle. 'The Tortoise and the Skank'. That could be a half decent children's book." He commented, watching as his friend slowly sat up.  
"That's not funny." The paler boy muttered, picking up a ratty Ramones' tee shirt, inspecting it meticulously.  
"Not that one, smell it." Cal commented halfheartedly, looking down at his phone as Ashton texted him again, a sweet, gooey message. It was adorable, and the hardcore man couldn't really believe he'd gotten so lucky.   
Michael did as he was told, sniffing at the black fabric and cringing, tossing it back onto the floor. Calum rolled his eyes, setting his phone on the desk before standing and heading to the closet, where he began sifting through the clothes that'd been left hanging up.  
"I swear, Calum, if you try to get me to wear those khakis, I'll kill you." Mike muttered, burying his face back into the rumpled sheets of his bed.  
"Well, unless the date's in church, you're not wearing khakis. I was thinking more like..." Calum selected a Green Day tee shirt (one that didn't look like it'd been chewed on by a goat), and a leather jacket, laying them on the bed.  
"Come on, we're gonna do your hair." The Maori boy said, crossing his arms over his chest.  
Michael looked up, a smile pulling over his cherry lips. His hair was purple right now, and in the time that they'd started the shop, he'd only changed it three times. Maybe now was a good time to make a bit of a shocking switch.  
"What color do you want?" Cal asked, heading into the adjacent bathroom, the paler boy following behind and opening the bathroom cabinet to fish out the old towels he used for dye.  
"I have red and blue... We don't have a lot of time, though." Mike replied, grabbing the box that read "Crimson Seduction".  
"No worries. We just won't wait the full thirty minutes for it to set. What could go wrong?"  
\----  
"I'm not going, Calum. We fucked up."

"Mike, it's not that bad! It's totally cool!"

"Nineties slang can't fix this. Call Luke. Tell him to remember me how I was."

"You're being dramatic."  
\----

“He’s really late, Ash… what if he’s decided to not come?” Luke had been worrying for the last hour, having totally screwed up four orders and forcing his best friend to work for him and deal with the disgruntled customers who ordered coffee, not tea, bagels, not doughnuts, and just had to complain about the choice of music. So what, if it was depressing, sad jams from the nineties, people could just back off. But Ash had to admit, he was getting a little bummed out. 

“Luke, you do know that’s really stupid, right? It took him this long to ask you out, he’s not gonna ditch you.” Ashton pointed out, wiping down the counter where guests sat. Unsurprisingly, there hadn’t been many guests in the last half hour, making it easier for them to close up for lunch. Not like they were missing out on customers. 

Luke loved his shop. As teenagers, he and Ash had always talked about opening shops, and when they’d finally managed it, they’d become sort of rivals, challenging each other to be the more successful business. 

Luke was winning.

And right now, the blond boy was moping as he swept the floor, glancing out the window every few seconds.   
“Why isn’t he here?” He whined, dragging himself back to the cleaning closet to put his supplies away. 

“Maybe he got held up at home, or at work! Maybe there was an emergency client.” Ash suggested, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he leaned over the counter. A whine met the words. 

“Maybe your mum needed her tattoo touched up, huh?” He tried teasing Luke, only earning a rag in the face as the blond stormed out of the closet- no pun intended. 

“Don’t talk about my mum like that, Irwin, she’s a queen and you know it!” He snapped, pointing a menacing finger in his friend’s direction.   
Ash snorted, tossing the towel back. 

“I love Liz, are you kidding? I’d never disrespect her!” He laughed, onto to nearly fall off his swivel chair when the cafe door was suddenly hauled open, an usually perky looking Calum entering, a smirk adorning his features. Not far behind, Michael trailed in, his head low, and a glare on his features. He looked quite furious, and it may have had something to do with the cotton candy colored mess of hair on his head. 

Ashton and Luke could only stare, Calum stifling giggles and Michael looking like he might explode in two seconds. It’s an awkward silence as the four exchange looks, until Luke finally breaks the silence. 

“I love it.”

Michael’s head jerks up and he gapes at Luke, who’s got his hands up, nearly covering his mouth. He’s that stunned, and frankly, a little infatuated with the tattoo artist. 

“Really?” The pink haired boy asks, his green eyes wide with shock. He feels a little stupid for thinking that Luke wouldn’t like it. Honestly, his chest is a little tight and his cheeks a little rosy, to match his hair. 

“Really. It… it’s nice. Cute and sweet like you. I… I said that out loud, oh. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” The younger boy looked as though he wanted to disappear into thin air. And really, he might, the way his muscles were tensed like he was going to run away.   
Ashton laughed, looking up at Calum, who gave a weak shrug. 

“Uh… don’t you have reservations at that restaurant?” The dark haired boy reminded gently, and it seemed that the pair jarred out of a trance, and blue eyes met green as Luke finally looked up.   
“Oh, shit! Yeah! Come on, Mikey!” The taller suddenly hurried forward, taking Michael’s hand and pulling him out of the shop, leaving Calum and Ashton. 

“So… they’re kind of smitten with each other.” Ash said softly, locking the door behind the pair. “He called him Mikey. That’s kind of cute.” 

“You know… You’re kind of cute.” The dirty blonde looked back as Calum spoke, blushing softly. 

“Shut up.” He mumbled softly, rubbing his cheek shyly. “I’m not cute, you’re just dumb. And blind.” 

Calum chuckled, making his way over and wrapping his muscular arms around Ashton gently, pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder.   
It was odd, the way they texted sweetly, spent so much time together, and really, they had very little conversation of exactly what they were to each other. Ashton, being the type of person that he was, only wanted to be something to someone. Something to Calum. And the tender touch only warmed his chest, the longing pulling him close to Cal. 

Perhaps… It wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have right now. Maybe later. 

Things happened that night.   
Ashton and Calum went back to the tattoo parlor, and began working again on Ashton’s tattoo. It was nearly done now, the watercolors needing a few more visits to touch up.   
Luke and Michael’s date went terribly. The restaurant had awful service, the food was burnt, and they kept getting dirty looks, but when they left, they went to a park and walked under the stars. Mike kissed Luke, and it quickly turned into a heated makeout session that would have gotten them arrested for public indecency. 

And if Michael took Luke home that night, it wouldn’t have been anyone’s business.


End file.
